Women's Swimming and Diving

UW-La Crosse's Sims Qualifies For Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

**Release courtesy of UW-La Crosse Sports Information

LA CROSSE, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Natalie Sims of Edina, Minn. (Edina) will represent the United States at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 from August 24 through September 5 in a pair of swimming events.  She will compete in the 100 and 400 freestyle after winning the 400 freestyle (4:57.85) and placing second in the 100 freestyle (1:05.03) at the Paralympic Swim Trials for the Minneapolis Otters held in the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center at the University of Minnesota in June.

It will be her second career appearance in the Paralympic Games after finishing eighth in the 400 freestyle at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.  Sims also swam in the 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly at the Rio Paralympic Games.   

She attended Edina High School (Minn.) and competed at her YWCA's swim club, the Minneapolis Otters, where she first qualified for the Paralympics.  She has named to the U.S. Paralympic Swimming Emerging Team and competed in the 2014 Can-Am Paralympic Championships in Edmonton.  "The experience this time around was more comfortable for me being that trials was held at my home pool at the University of Minnesota," said Sims.  "I knew what to expect coming into this meet and felt more confident going into my races." 

Spectators were not allowed at this year's trails, but Sims' parents were volunteers at the meet and could see her compete.  "All in all, despite everything that happened in the past year, this meet was a memorable experience being surrounded by my teammates and my coach Dave Cameron, who had the opportunity to train me again for my second trials meet.  I couldn't have done it without his support and encouragement along the way." 

Sims earned her bachelor's degree from UWL in May 2021 with a communications major while minoring in sociology and leadership development.  She competed in the 50, 200 and 500 freestyle as well as the 100 butterfly and 200 I.M. this season for the Eagles. 

International competition is not new to Sims, who earned four medals representing the United States at the Lima 2019 Para Pan American Games, including capturing the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle. She was a member of the 4x100-meter relay to earn the silver medal and secured two individual bronze medals in the 100-meter butterfly and 200-meter individual medley.  

Sims recorded a pair of top-four finishes at the Copenhagen 2018 World Para Swimming World Series in Denmark, placing third in the 100-meter freestyle and fourth in the 50-meter freestyle. She was the lone United States swimmer to advance to the final in both events. Sims also competed in the 100-meter butterfly and 200-meter individual medley preliminaries at the World Para Swimming World Series. 

She said competing in the 2016 trails helped immensely for this year's trails.  "I have been able to use that experience five years ago to improve and learn for my races," added Sims.  "In 2016 it was very intimidating to compete in a platform where I am racing the most competitive and best athletes in the world.  This year I knew what to expect and prepare myself mentally to compete at that elite level. I went into my races this time with a better mental head space and confidence, which showed in my races despite how tired my body felt." 
 
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